Dough former



Ngw. 11,`v 1941.

w. BEL'sHAw 2,262,485v

DOUGH FORMER Filed July 25, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l 4 ATTORNEY.

` Nov. 11, 1941. W BELSHAW 26m-@ DOUGH FORMER Filed July 25, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Walter Belshaw FY f uf/MAW" ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 1l, 1941 UNITED STATE-S PATENT, OFFICE y I T 2,262,485 W A l DoUGH FORMER v Walter Belshaw, Seattle, Villash.` Application July 25, 193s,seria1Nq.221;14s 1s claims. (ci. 107414)" The present 'invention relates tol a dough former, in particular to` a machine for forming `a fancy pastry such as a French doughnut.

At the present time French doughnuts `are formed by hand with the aid of a collapsible bag I and'by skillful manipulation of "the'hand as the dough is extruded from the bag. e v

The present invention is an improvement over `the machine shown in applicants priorI Patent Number 1,738,033,.whereby arnachine of that `type may be operated to form French doughnuts. Having in mind the lack. of a machine for making French doughnuts, it is anv object -of the `present invention to devise a machine for forming such doughnuts. n

`It ijs an object of the present invention to extrude a ring of e. dough and to give to the ring a twisted and ribbed eiect. e Y T Itis an object of the invention to provide a dough former provided with a plurality ofvdispensing orifices.

It is an object of the present invention to provide `a Clough` former `with a piston which has a skirt with one or more openings for shaping dough as lit is forced through these openings.

i It is an object of the invention to provide a supercharging means `for insuring that full quantities of doughvwill be available for dispensing. e

These objects and others are attained by a modification of the machine shown in applicants previous patent mentioned above. Thisdevice and its modications comprises in essence: a hopper, attached to `thelower end of the hopper a cylinder; a piston with perforated skirt in the lower end of the cylinder, skirt up, another piston in the upper endiof the cylinder, and suitable cams and links for operating the pistons. vlThe operation is such that with `dough in the hopper, i

the pistons `will confine `a quantity of dough betweenlthem, the lower and skirted pistonwill moveout of the cylinder a distance that will expose thje perforations inits skirt, and the upper piston will cause the Vdough to bev extruded Figure 3 is a View of the piston assemblyand pis-ton having a head 30, `or lower member.

baffle `plates 39.`

the lower` part-SL of the pistou rods, shown `in Figure 1.. I

Figure 4is` aview of the'skirt of the :lower `piston shown in Figure 3. i

Figure 5 isa `view ofthe head of thelower piston -shownin Figure 3.`

Eigure `e is a View of aranci-ned piston assembly. l Figure `1.: A vertically situated frame I`0Jis' `formed with a cam case `II at its middle portion,

-wardly Vand downwardly. i

.Figures 2, 4 `and 5: In the cylinder 2I is a l'ower The head has formed with it on its upper surface, vertical baiiies 3l; on its 'top edge, or corner, is an annular step 32;r in its side-face an annular 'sealing groove 33; onthe t'op side a fairing, or guidegmember 34; and in the center of the head is ai tapped hole 35. f

spaced above the head33 by an annular slot is a skirt 36,'or upper member. The skirt has in its lower edge downwardly and diagonally extending -ngers 31 which form between themselves diagonal slots. The ends of the ngers are spaced from the head. The skirt isfastened te a sleeve 3B'by means-of a plurality of vertical Ifhe sleeve 38 resting on the head '30 spaces the skirt and head apart.

The lowerpisten comprising the head-and skirt is actuated `torn'ove to and fro in the cylinder.

The head ofthe piston will move downwardly a distance suflicient to bring the fingers below the lower edge of the" cylinder. When in this position dough" is! extruded through the opening or openings formed between the skirt and the head and between the ngers. While dough is being extruded, the head and skirt are caused to rotate in oppositedirectionsl The ngers cause the surface of the dough to be ribbed or fluted, and the rotation of the head and skirt gives the ribs a helical shape. Movement of the piston back into the cylinder cuts off a section of the dough. The step 32 on the upper edge of the head causes the dough mass to cling and roll on the piston instead of leaving it; thus practically the entire surface of the dough mass is ribbed. The guide 34increa`ses the pressure of the dough on the spaces between the fingers relative to the prestherealong sure on the space below the fingers. By varying the size and shape of this guide a means is had of controlling the relative quantities of dough that are extruded through the spaces between the ngers and the space below the ngers. This control affects the depth of the ribbing on the nished product. If this device is used for forming a doughnut ring, the product has the appearance of a French doughnut.

Also traveling in the cylinder 2I is the upper piston 40.

The upper piston moves out of the cylinder into the dough mass in the hopper. While the upper piston is in the hopper, the lower piston will suck dough out of the hopper and down into the cylinder. This movement of the dough will be aided by a downward movement of the upper piston through the dough mass. As the upper piston enters the cylinder there will be trapped between the two pistons a denite quantity of dough. This dough will be carried down through the cylinder by movement of the two pistons. When the dispensing openings in the side of the lower piston are uncovered, the upper piston continues its movement toward the lower piston. This causes the dough to be extruded through the openings in the side of the lower piston.

Figure 1: The lower piston is reciprocated by means of a piston rod 4I that is threaded on its lower end and is in threaded engagement with the head of the lower piston. The rod extends up through the sleeve 38, and has a collar 42 secured to it which rests on the upper end of the sleeve and thus prevents movement of the sleeve The sleeve 38 is free to rotate on the rod. Above the collar 42 is a round supercharging plate 43, and above the plate another collar 44 which holds the plate against the lower collar 42. Movement of the plate up and down aids in maintaining pressure on the dough in the lower end of the hopper and in filling the space between the two pistons.

About midway of the piston rod is a lower block 45 secured from movement along the rod by collars 46 and 41. On each side of the block is a pin 48. The upper end of the rod is journaled in the bearing I2 secured to the frame I0. The pins 48 are engaged by the forked end of a lever 49. The other end of the lever is pivoted in the cam housing II. Midway of the lever 39 is a cam follower 50, or roller. This roller is engaged by a cam I. The cam is fastened on a shaft 52 journaled in the cam housing II. The cam is actuated by means of a crank 53 secured on one end of the shaft 52. The cam 5| is given a shape which will impart to the lower piston the desired reciprocating movement, as is herein and in my previous patent set forth.

The upper piston is reciprocated by means of a pair of piston rods 60 and 6I. These rods are secured at their lower ends to the upper piston, and are placed on diametrically opposite sides of the piston. These rods pass loosely through the supercharging plate 43 and the lower piston rod block 45. Above this lower block 45 these rods are secured to an upper block 62. On each sidel of this block are secured pins 63 similar to the pins on the lower block. These pins are engaged by the forked end of a lever 64. The other end of the lever is pivoted in the cam housing I I.

Midway of the lever 64 is mounted a cam follower 65, or roller. This roller is engaged by a cam 65. The cam is secured to the shaft 52 journaled in the cam housing I I, and is actuated by the crank 53. This cam is given a shape which will impart the skirt.

to the upper piston the desired movement as is herein and in my previous patent set forth.

Rotational movement of the skirt of the lower piston is obtained by forming in the sleeve attached to the skirt one or more helical grooves 10, and engaging in each groove a detent 1I secured in the upper piston. 'I'hus relative movement between the two pistons will cause the skirt to rotate as the detents, restrained from rotational movement by the upper piston, follow in the helical grooves.

Rotational movement of the head of the lower piston is obtained by forming in the lower piston rod 4I adjacent the upper block B2, one or more helical grooves 12, and engaging in each of the grooves a detent 13. It is to be noted that the lower helices 10 are opposite in direction from the upper helices 12, that is, one is right and the other is left-handed. These detents 13 are secured on top of and to the upper block 62. Relative movement between the two pistons will cause the head to rotate as the detents, restrained from rotation by the block 62, follow in the helical grooves.

It is to be noted that all the rotational forces in the piston and piston rod assembly are taken up in the assembly. There is no tendency for the assembly to rotate.

With the above-described mechanisms in place the hopper full of dough, and the crank being rotated, the lower piston will suck dough into the cylinder, the upper piston will cut off a section of the dough, and the pistons will carry the section of dough through the cylinder. When the openings in the side wall, or skirt, of the lower piston are below the lower end of the cylinder, the upper piston will move toward the lower piston and cause a transversely ribbed ring of dough to be extruded. This dough will be ribbed over practically all of its surface, due to the rolling action of the dough on the head. The fact that the dough clings and rolls on the head is largely due to the step in the upper edge of the head. The ribs are given a helical shape by relative rotation of the head and skirt. This is done through the agency of the helical grooves on the sleeve attached to the head, and the grooves in the upper portion of the lower piston rod, with the cooperation of the detents located in the grooves.

The baille plates 3l and 39 cause the dough to be moved by the rotation of the head and skirt. If the device is operated at a low speed it is not necessary that both members of the lower piston rotate. However, at high speeds the centrifugal force imparted to the dough by the rapid rotation necessary if the skirt alone moves, causes the dough to leave the head, and prevents the formation of a ring round in cross section. It is, of course, obvious that other mechansms than those shown may be used for reciprocating the pistons and for rotating the head and skirt of the lower piston. As modifications it might be mentioned that the upper piston could be eliminated if the dough were put under air pressure by sealing in the top of the hopper and pumping in air. The lower piston could be fixed and a sleeve moved to open and close the openings in The skirt and the head could be rotated by means of gearing instead of the helical grooves. By having the lcylinder extended on one side and not on the other, so that only part of the openings in the skirt are uncovered, strips or bars having a wavy ribbed surface may be extruded.

Figure 6 shows a modified piston assembly that may` be substituted for the assembly shown in Figure l. This assembly will make strips of pastry such as strip doughnuts.

The lower piston 80 is formed with integral y head and skirt. The skirt `is formed with a dispensing opening or openings 8l in its side adjacent to `the head. Opposite this openingand at or near the top of the skirt is a relieving opening 82. Above the lower piston is an upper piston 83. The reciprocating movement of the two pistonsis similar to that previously described for the pistons shown in Figure 1, and the related mechanismsmay be the same.

Operation of a ma-chine having this piston assembly will produce either short sticks or rolls,

depending upon `the amount ofdough extruded at each uncovering ,of the opening. For the formation of rolls, a step in the lower edge of the opening causes the dough to cling to the piston and `to roll on itself. The relieving opening 82 compensates for` the dispensing opening 8|, it prevents binding of the piston due to the pressure of the Apiston away from the dispensing opening.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

l. In a `dough machine: opposed members forming an orifice of fixed size; and means for opening and closing said orifice, and for moving one of said members relative to the other.

2. In a dough machine: means forming an oriiice for the delivery of dough, means for uncovering said orice, and means formoving part of the edge of said orifice relative to another vpart of the edge.

3. Ina dough machine: superposed members forming an orifice therebetween, the lower of said outwardly of saidorifioe, and means for extruding dough through said orifice.

4. In a dough machine: superposed members forming an orifice therebetween, the lower of said members having a step formed in it adjacent said orice and along all of its orifice forming portion and outwardly thereof, and means for opening and closing said orifice.

5. In a dough machine: opposed members forming an orifice, means for opening and closing said orifice, and means for moving both of said members relative to each other.

6. In a dough machine: a piston head, a piston skirt, said head and skirt being separated along their periphery, and fingers formed in the edge of said skirt opposite said head.

'7. In a dough machine: a piston head, a piston skirt, said head and skirt being separated along,`

their periphery, fingers formed in the edge of said skirt opposite said head, and means for rotating said head relative to said skirt.

8. In a dough machine: a dough holding hopper, a piston in and widely spaced from the walls of said hopper, and means for reciprocating said piston in said hopper only.

9. In a dough machine: a dough holding hopper, a cylinder attached to the lower end of. said hopper, and a plurality of pistons arranged for downward movement through the hopper above said cylinder.

10. In a dough machine: having upper and lower pistons adapted to be actuated to dispense dough, the construction of the lower piston, comprising: a lower member forming the head of the piston, an upper member spaced along its members having a step formed in it adjacent and periphery from said head and forming the skirt of said piston, and cammingmeans associated with said members to rotate said members in opposite directions; said upper member being upwardly i and diagonally slotted from its loweredge, and

forming interiorly thereof a passageway for dough, the volume of said passageway being reduced in passing said slots and the space between said members, said lower member having bailles projecting into said passageway, and having annular grooves adjacent the opening between said members.

l1. In a dough dispensing machine having a dough hopper, a pair of upper and lower pistons for dispensing charges of dough from said hopper, and means for actuating said pistons, the combination of: upper and lower members forming said lower piston, said members being movable about their longitudinal axes, camming means attached to each of said members, and means for actuating said camming means, said camming means being so constructed that both of said members will move about their longitudinal axes relative to each other.

12. In a dough dispensing machine having a dough hopper, a pair of upper and lower pistons for dispensing charges of dough from said hopper, and means for actuating said pistons, the combination of: upper and lower members forming said lower piston, the lower member forming the head of said piston, a rodsupporting said lower member, and camming means attached to said rod and acting to rotate said lower section when said rod is given longitudinal movement relative to said upper piston, the upper section of said piston forming the skirt thereof and being spaced from the lower section along its periphery, a sleeve mounted for rotation only on said rod and attached to said upper portion, and camming means attached to said sleeve and adapted to rotate said sleeve about its axis when said lower piston is given longitudinal movement relative to said upper piston, the rotation of said upper and lower sections being opposite in direction.

13. In a, dough machine: opposed members forming an orifice of fixed size having a serrated edge; and means for opening and closing said orifice, and for moving one of said members relative to the other.

14. A dough machine having an orifice with a serrated edge and means on the outside of said i orifice for closing it.

portion of the edge thereof slotted at an acute angle thereto, and means formoving parts of said orifice and said slotted portion relative to eachother.

`18. In a dough machine: a piston head, anda i piston skirt having an opening therethru adjacentsaid head and another removed from said head and diametrically opposite said first open ing. y

' WALTER BELSHAW. 

